Russia regards Eurasian space as home - peaceful and prosperous - Putin

UFA, July 9 /TASS/. Russia regards the Eurasian space not as a field for geopolitical games but a home where peace and prosperity should reign, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at an official reception given in honour of the heads of delegations of countries that are participating in the BRICS and SCO summits. "Many of the countries represented here are situated in the vast Eurasian space, which is not a chessboard for us or a field for political games. It is our home, and we all want peace and prosperity to reign in this home in which there will be no place for extremism or attempts to safeguard one’s own interests at the expense of others," Putin stressed. According to him, Russia deems it important to work with the BRICS and SCO partners in order to guarantee security, predictability and prosperity in the Eurasian space. "Our countries and peoples are linked not only by close friendly ties but also by the common desire to make the world in which we live safer and more predictable; and create solid conditions for sustainable development," Putin said at the reception. "In our view this is the main point of our joint work within the framework of multilateral associations and organizations - such as BRICS, SCO and the Eurasian Economic Union - and on the bilateral basis," the Russian president said adding that despite being neighbours, the states, which are taking part in the summits, use various models of development. "These differences are a source of our strength and powerful potential for working out mutually acceptable and consensus decisions on key contemporary problems," the Russian head of state stressed. "Traditional values and common laws of morale, truth and justice form the foundation of our societies," Putin said. According to him, the BRICS and SCO countries are unanimous in the idea that they should act collectively on the principles of true partnership, trust and equality as well as respect and concern for each other’s interests if they wanted to achieve the goals set. Putin called for coordinating responses to global challenges and affirming fair underlying principles of inter-state communication based on the United Nations key role, international law, indivisible security and free determination of their future by peoples. In conclusion, the Russian president raised a glass for the well-being and prosperity of the SCO and BRICS countries and their peoples; for the health of the heads of state and all those present at the reception and also for close and fruitful interaction. Read more